"I was really impressed": New Northern conductor begins career on service driven by her dad
18 year old Ella Phillips started at Northern earlier this month - working on a service driven by dad Daniel Phillips
A newly qualified Northern train conductor had a big surprise earlier this month, when she found with the first service she was taking charge of was being driven by her dad.
Ella Phillips, 18, was given the task of looking after the 6:04am Skipton to Bradford Forster Square on June 11, with dad Daniel in the driver's seat.
Ella decided to become a conductor after graduating from college. Her mum and dad both already work on the railway.
"I couldn't believe it," she said. “We thought we might be put together on a random day, but not on my first shift.
“It was a bit nerve wracking thinking that if I mess up my dad will be watching. But I also knew that if anything went wrong and I needed help, he would be there. He’s a really good person to work with.”
“I love my job. I like that it keeps you on your toes and every day is slightly different. I’m not stuck in the same place, doing the same thing, every day.
“I’m the youngest at the depot in Skipton but we all have a laugh and everyone makes me feel comfortable."
Dad Daniel, 50, said: “I was happy that it was me driving, to make her feel a bit more comfortable on her first time out. As a parent, that’s what you want.
“I was checking the cameras to see if she was doing everything right and I was really impressed with how she owned it.
“To see her bossing it made me really proud. She’s doing a great job.”